Choosing Loyalties
by Amalya
Summary: Severus' first year at Hogwarts


Summary: Severus' first year at Hogwarts

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JK Rowling. All others belong to me, Amalya. I am making no money off of this fic.

Choosing Loyalties

Severus, for the first time in his life, was truly excited. He was on his way to learn what couldn't be learned from just reading. He was on his way to a new home where he wouldn't have to listen to his parents screaming at each other every evening. And he was out of the blasted muggle train station. He made his way through throngs of laughing children and their crying parents, dragging his trunk behind him, trying to get onto the train. A boy his age was talking to his ill-tempered looking mum.

"And you had better get into Slytherin, _dear_, I don't want you mixing with mudbloods and blood-traitors."

"All right Mum, I'll _try_ to get into Slytherin. I wouldn't want all my ancestors disappointed in me, now would I?"

Severus detected a sarcastic tone in the boy's voice that the mother obviously hadn't. His upper lip curled slightly in a subtle sneer as the woman continued lecturing her son on the importance of racial purity. He didn't like people who were prone to be oblivious.

When the boy turned toward him, Severus quickly focused on lifting his trunk into the train. He failed. The other boy rushed toward Severus and helped him lift. "Thanks," Severus muttered.

"No problem." The boy grinned. "Here come sit in this compartment." He gestured toward the neighboring compartment.

"Sure." Severus looked behind him and found that the boy's mother was looking at him. She took in his robes and face.

"You're a Snape?"

"Yes."

"Good."

The other boy looked back and rolled his eyes.

"_Bye_, mum."

"Good bye, _dear_."

Severus sat down in a seat in that boy's compartment, and pulled out a book from his book bag titled _Genealogy of the Blood, _(what other kind is there, Severus thought)and another called_ Early Dark Curses. _Severus started to read the latter, as he tended to take the information he gathered in _Genealogy of the Blood _with a grain of salt. The other boy looked at the books and picked up the one Severus wasn't reading, and started to flip through it. Severus didn't look up from his book and nodded. Other Boy read aloud a sentence. "Studies tell us that families of pure wizarding blood show superiority to others." Other Boy looked up. "Whoa! This book sounds like my mum!"

Severus couldn't help it; he snorted.

"My mom is always raving on and on about that sort of stuff. She doesn't like me much, so she is always talking about one of my cousins. One in particular, actually, but I can't stand that cousin. _I'm_ convinced that she's really a cross-eyed flea bitten by both a vampire and a werewolf."

Severus raised an eyebrow (a talent he was quite proud of) and held out his hand. "Severus Snape"

Other Boy held out his hand. "My name is Sirius Black, and I'm bored. Luckily, I brought some Filibuster's Fireworks with me. Shall we set one off?"

Severus shrugged. They didn't sound like too much fun. "You can, I think I'll keep reading. Sirius looked at him oddly, and took them out.

After a few fireworks, a plump girl with dark red hair and freckles walked into their compartment. She had a Head Girl badge on her robes.

"I came in to tell you that those fireworks aren't allowed on the train," she said nodding at Sirius.

Another boy, this one with a prefect badge and white blond hair, walked in through the other door. "Get out of the compartment, Prewett," he snarled. "I'm going to sit down here, and I don't want to be in the same room as a blood-traitor like you."

"Too bad, Malfoy, I got here first!" The Prewett replied. Severus looked at her. "So you're a Prewett," he sneered. "I would have taken you for a Weasly with hair like that. Not that there is much of a difference."

"Shut up Snape," the girl said. Severus stared. "Yes, I know you are a Snape. I could tell by your over-large nose and greasy hair."

Sirius also stood up. "Don't insult Sev like that! Anyway, you're a Seventh Year? Do you know anybody by the name Andromeda? She graduated last year."

"Yes, she and I are friends, and—wait! Are you a Black?" Sirius nodded.

"You know, you are the first Black, besides Andromeda, that has ever spoken to me civilly. Thanks."

"Umm… you're welcome?"

"You're a Black, eh?" asked the Malfoy who had remained aloof for most of the conversation. "I know a Black. Her name's Bellatrix, are you related to her?"

"We're first cousins, actually. I don't look like her, do I?" A horrified expression crossed Sirius's face.

"Yes, no, that's not the point." Malfoy waved his hand impatiently. "Bella's spoken to me of her cousin Regulus. She said that he was a smart boy with the right ideas, though he lacked guts. Are you him?"

"No, I'm not," said Sirius irritably. "I'm his older brother Sirius."

"Regulus has a brother? I didn't know that," Malfoy said. Severus was a bit amused at the extremely annoyed expression on Sirius's face.

"But the name Sirius does ring a bell. Maybe Bella _has_ mentioned you. I seem to remember your name going a long with arrogant, insane, stupid git, or, um, let me see… oh yes. Disgusting, nosy, pond scum.

Sirius was looking angrier and angrier, he looked as if he might burst. "Yeah, well, I think Bella is just a flea bitten by both a vampire and a werewolf." Sirius voice was growing in volume, so that by the time he finished the sentence, he was practically yelling.

At that moment, the compartment doors opened yet again. Another Prefect with long, thick, black hair and heavily lidded eyes came in. She, as it seemed to Severus, looked a bit like Sirius, but she had an entirely different presence. While Sirius, as you could tell from your first glance, was warm and fun loving, this girl seemed to give off class and unadulterated, harsh arrogance.

"Oh, hi Bella," Malfoy drawled. "Somebody here was just talking about you, weren't you Sirius." A look of surprise formed on the girl's face before quickly being replaced by a haughty sneer. Severus didn't think Bella liked being caught off guard.

"Oh, its you. You're eleven now? I wouldn't have known, you playing with fire works, and all."

"Yeah, and look at you oh high and mighty prefect! You do realize that being prefect, you are not only following, but also enforcing all of Dumbledore's rules? And what was it you called Dumbledore last? Was it a dithering old softie with a blanket over his eyes? Or maybe a mad, incompetent geezer who needs to get his priorities straight?"

"I think you're the one who needs to get your priorities straight, _cousin_," Bellatrix hissed. Her eyes had narrowed, and her knuckles were white; they were gripping her wand so tightly.

Sirius opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again to speak. He seemed to realize had crossed some line. "Well, I, so maybe, well – I have priorities—"

"I'm sure you do, Siri." Bellatrix smirked. She obviously was pleased that she got under his skin so easily. "You just need to get them in a suitable order. Maybe then your mum would like you."

Sirius didn't say anything.

"Anyway, what did you call me?"

"Call you? What? Oh that! Um, I didn't call you anything!"

"Yes. You did. Lucius said."

"Oh, and all Slytherins are paragons of trustworthiness! Not."

"And proud of it," Bellatrix, Lucius, and Severus chorused. The two former stared in surprise at the latter. Severus himself was surprised. He hadn't intended to join in the conversation, just to observe. These people, after all, were to be his friends and his enemies. He should know them. Besides, Severus wasn't even sure he would be in Slytherin. He might be in Ravenclaw.

Bellatrix turned to Sirius again. Her eyes seemed to gain intensity, and she drilled them through Sirius's face. "I ask you again: what did you call me?" Her voice was soft.

"A flea bitten by both a vampire and a werewolf."

"Oh that's it!" Bellatrix laughed.

"Huh?" Sirius looked both relieved and indignant.

"Well it's just so – so juvenile!" the Malfoy had started laughing with her. "But really, what should I have expected?"

"Lay off of him!"

"What?"

"Lay off of Sirius!" Prewett had stood up, hands on her hips.

"Yeah, like I'm going to take orders from a Prewett," Bellatrix smirked. Next to her the Malfoy chuckled.

"Maybe you'll take orders from a Head Girl then."

Bellatrix glared, but didn't say anything.

"Right then. Malfoy, Black – no, not you, Sirius, Bellatrix – you two leave this compartment. It's already overcrowded. And remember once we get to Hogwarts, that I can take points from Slytherin. So don't test me." The Prewett seemed to be in her element. "Snape?"

"Yeah?" Severus looked up.

She scrutinized him.

"You can choose. Stay here with Sirius and I, or leave with Black and Malfoy."

Severus got up slowly, not taking his eyes off Prewett. He walked toward the compartment door. Before he reached he turned around and stared down at Sirius.

"It's nothing personal, Black, but I don't really think I belong with Blood Traitors. Especially ones who betray their family." Severus knew it was risky, picking sides and choosing loyalties so early on, but the Prewett had forced him to. And he really didn't like that Black.

"Fine then leave. It's not like I ever _wanted_ to spend the train ride in a compartment dripping with oil from your hair. Have fun with my cousin, Snivellus."

Severus ignored the nickname, and ran on to catch up with Lucius and Bella. He had some questions he needed to ask.


End file.
